Bubble pipe



Sept. '2, 1947- A. E. NEUMANN I BUBBLE PIPE Filefi Aug. 23, 1944INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 2, 1947 UNH'E srTEs PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for forming bubbles from suitablesolutions, commonly soap solutions, usually termed bubble pipes.

Bubble pipes are well known and extensively used. My invention isdirected to a bubble pipe embodying certain features rendering it moreattractive to children, and others, than the ordinary bubble pipe whilealso rendering it possible to blow bubbles with greater ease andaccuracy than is possible with any known bubble pipe with which I amfamiliar. More specifically, I provide a bubble pipe embodying a windinstrument, such as a whistle, which is sounded simultaneously with theblowing of a bubble, in conjunction with means whereby the flow of airto the wind instrument and to the bubble blowing compartment of the pipemay readily be variably proportioned to attain the desired results. Thepipe bowl comprises a bubble blowing compartment and a liquid container,with which the wind instrument communicates for producing a bird calleffect, means being also provided for varying the pitch of the windinstrument. I also provide an improved outlet opening from the bubbleblowing compartment, of a character to assure proper retention of thebubble forming solution while permitting ready separation or freeing ofthe formed bubble Without breaking thereof, and means for shielding thefilm and the bubble being formed therefrom from impingement thereon ofthe entering air stream, so as to guard against breakage of the film orof the incompletely formed bubble from that cause, as Well as means forregulating the flow of air through the stem of the pipe into the bubbleblowing compartment. Further objects and advantages of my invention willappear from the detail description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a bubble pipe embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the bubble pipe of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a, sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure2;

Figure 4 is an outer end View of the stem of the pipe on an enlargedscale; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view, taken substantially on line 5-5 of Figure3, on an enlarged scale.

I have illustrated my invention, by way of example, as embodied in apipe comprising a cylindrical bowl 6 separated by horizontal partition 7into an upper compartment 8 and a lower compartment 9. The uppercompartment 8 is closed at its top by a wall H] having therein arestricted opening I l to atmosphere, and the lower compartment isprovided with a bottom wall [2 having a central depending annular lip l3defining an outlet opening Hi, the lower edge of the lip l3 beingrounded at l 5, for a purpose which will appear presently.

A tubular stem It extends outward from bowl 6, this stem defining twoseparate passages disposed in superposed relation, upper passage I!being constructed in the form of a Wind instrument approximating anorgan tube so as to provide a whistle, shownin Figure 3, the upperportion of this passage tapering upward and outward, and lower passage I8, flares downward and inward towards the bowl 6. The upper portion ofstem I6 extends into compartment 8 so that passage I 7 opens into thiscompartment adjacent the bottom thereof, and passage l8 opens intocompartment 9 adjacent the top thereof, with partition I9 separating thepassages I1 and I8 extending from partition 1. Bowl 6 is furtherprovided with a baifie 28, extending inward therefrom from the lowerwall of stem l6 and disposed between the lower end of passage [8 and theoutlet opening l4, this baflle serving to deflect toward partition 1 theair stream flowing through passage I8 and to disperse the air more orless uniformly within compartment 9, preventing a direct discharge ofair from passage I 8 into or through the outlet opening It, theadvantage of which will be explained presently. Conveniently, the stepIt is formed integrally with bowl 6, the pipe, including the stem, beingformed, by molding in a known manner, from a synthetic resin or plastic,or other suitable material, which possesses sufficient rigidity to beself-sustaining sufiiciently to retain the form into which it is moldedwhile being readily flexible, particularly at relatively thin areasthereof. The upper end portion 2| of the lower wall or portion of stemI6 is relatively thin and inclined upward and outward at a slight angleto the main portion of that wall, to provide a restricted opening 22 atthe outer end of passage l8, the thin portion 2| of the wall beingreadily flexible so that by being bent inward it may function toconstrict the upper portion of passage l8. The upper portion 23 of theupper or top wall of stem I6 is inclined outward toward partition l9,providing a restricted opening 24 at the upper end of passage ll. Theinclined portions 2I' and 23 of the lower and upper walls of the stem,together with the side portions of the walls thereof, provide amouthpiece at the upper or outer end of the stem having therein the twoopenings 22 and 24 for blowing simultaneously through both of thepassages.

In using the bubble pipe, the upper compartment 8 of bowl 6 is filledwith water or other suitable liquid to about the height shown in Figure3, so that the lower end of passage I! is disposed at an appreciabledistance below the surface of the liquid. In order to blow a bubble, thedepending lip I3 is dipped into a suitable bubble forming solution, suchas a soap solution, which solution is retained in the opening M in theform of a film extending thereacross. By blowing through the stem l6,air is caused to flow through the passages I! and t8 thereof, the airfrom the latter passage entering the compartment 9 and being deflectedupward therein by the baflle 20. This air distends the film extendingacross the opening l4 into bubble form, and when this film has beenblown into a bubble'of the desired size, the resultant b'ubble mayreadily be detached from lip I3 by imparting a sharp movement or jerk tothe pipe, the rounded edge l5 at the lower end of lip i3 facili tatingdetachment of the bubble without risk" of breakage thereof. The inwardflare of passage I8 is of advantage in that it reduces the velocity ofair flowing through this passage, which in conjunction with the bafile20, disposed to prevent direct impingement of the entering air streamformed of a plastic and comprising two separate superposed compartments,the upper adapted for reception of a liquid an'dth'e lower having arestricted outlet opening adapted for reception of a bubble formingsolution, and a tubular stem comprising two separate superposedpassages, the upper constructed to provide a whistle opening into saidupper compartment adjacent the bottom thereof and the lower openin intosaid lower compartment;

3. In a bubble pipe, a bowl comprising a compartment closed at its upperend and having an outlet opening at its lower end adapted for reoeptionofa bubble forming solution, a stem defining a passage opening into saidcompartment adjacent the upper end thereof, and a bafile within' saidcompartment spaced from the top and the bottomthereof and extendinginward from the lower wall of said stem substantially perpendicula r-tothe axis of said opening effective for shielding 'itfrom a current ofair entering said compertinent through the passage of said stem.

partment from the lower end of passage II, so as to impart to the soundproduced a tii11in'g orbird ca reriect sunning o'rburbling and thetrilling -eif'e'ct produced thereny' be stopped by closing'therestricted opening 11-. T6 a cartake extent, the pitch of the soundproduced by thewindin's'trument may also be varied by clos ing openingI], as thepressur then develo'p'd m passage 1 1 will force some of'tlie'wa'ter therefrom nae-5on1 E th'e i by iengthnmg assage IT with acorfse'tiuent va atibr'i inthepitch' o'i'tl ie sound pEOCTI ic dY; Bydisplacing the relatively thin parfibr l Z I of EH8 Steffi; So a S t ocontract the upper portion otpas's'a'g'el8 the fiowof air through thepassages ll and Hi my be variably'pioporti'oned m increase ordiminishitlie intensity er the S d produoed bytlie-whistle; In addition,the read y" flexible persona-1 of the stern provides convenient meansfor controlling the air" flow th-"roi'i-gh passage F8 wh'e'reby' the airflow into compartment 9 may" be regulated in a manner tofaoilitat'ebiowing or bubbles with greater" accuracy aridless dangeroftreanige than is possibie peerage eh" earner meanss not provided;

While I preferably form tlfii' stifi or the pipe integrally the bowl, asShown; that is not ssfigiar to the br'oader concept of my invention,which ooffil i'elfefldsa pip having a? pawl and steni' associated anymanner suitable for elfe'cting'th results attained by my'in ventiorl.The stein IE isshownas or; siib'st nt-ially ellipticalresfsseticn b'ufiit begs other" suitable shape desired It; l-b ifriderstoodthat changesin cohfuction and arrangement of parts of my nvent Ilmay be feoft'd towitness departing from'th field or scope thefeofraiidlifitendto n eludeall such variations} as fall within the scope of the appended claims, inthis application in" which the preferred form only of inventionhas'eardiscioseea- I claim? p I. In reenearea a messy flexible bowlfirmed of a plastic" and comprising- Ewe separate compartments, areadapted for r ion of a lilsiuid advise restricted communication withat'rnosfphef eand the othef compartment havin arestricted outlet openingadapted for 'reeepuds of a"bubblefiiifiiifig ciatica; and a tubularstem-- oinprisifig twos ea tesr avrd ewmsaeepemng" site said once-om caneens adjacent tusesteem-tn so: and the and cries-115g to said etherc'raisinlamaa;

2'; a bubble pi e-,-

readily flexible bewi- 4; In a bubble pipe, a bowl comprising acompartment closed at its upper end and having an outletopening at itslower end adapted for rec'ep'tion of a, bubble forming solution, a stemdefini'r'ig apassage opening into said compartment adjacent the upperend thereof, and a baffie with in said compartment disposed to-shieldsaid outlet opening from a current of air entering saidcompartmentthrough the passage of said stem, the outer end portion ofsaid stem being readily flexible for constricting the passage thereofand thereby regulating air flow therethrough. 7

5. In-abubble pipe, a substantially cylindrical bowl formed of a plasticand separated interiorly by areadily flexible partition into twosuperposed compartments, the upper adapted for reception of a body ofliquid andthe lower having a restrlcted outlet opening adapted forreception of a bubble forming solution, and a tubular stem comprisingtwo separate superposed passages, the

' upper constructed to provide a whistle" opening into said uppercompartment adjacent the bot tom thereof and the lower opening into-saidlower'compar'tment. 6. In a bubble pipe, a bowl comprising asubstant'ially cylindrical compartment closed at its The followingreferences are of record inthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 7 1,594,13 Evans et' a1. g Aug.5, 1924 208,063 Bliss Sept. 17', 1878 1,359,342 Dobbins Nov. 1Q, 19201,580,598 Grotta Apr. 13, 1926 654,642 James Jilly 31, 1900 657,163Higgins Sefit. 4 1900 2,366,103 Hagopian DEC 26, I944

